Spirit of Love
by bookbella
Summary: Meet Inessa Ozera. She is a nineteen year old Moroi who once lived in Louisiana with her runaway royal moroi mother. Inessa is the half sister of an all too known dhampir. Normally, these two would never meet, but when Inessa's mother turns strigoi out of free will, she is forced to head to Royal court to find a spirit user who could save her mother.
1. Chapter 1

What no one knew was that I was the lost sister of a dhampir that everyone knew in my world. She was strong and resilient, loved by her peers. No one knew that her father had another daughter with a runaway royal moroi woman nineteen years ago. I was that forgotten daughter that abandoned daughter.

My mother turned strigoi weeks ago. She had done it willingly when spirit finally had its way with her mind. That night replays in my mind over and over again, like the scene to a horror movie that I have no control over changing or rewriting.

I had gotten home from my job as a waitress at a local diner, when I found her letter on the kitchen table in our tiny apartment. She had told me she would always love me no matter what she was, and that she wanted me to find my father because she couldn't stand for me to be left alone. Funny, because she was the one to leave me alone, leave me in the night with no one to turn to. I ran down to go to my car, hoping that maybe I could find her, praying that she hadn't gotten too far. And that's when it happened; she attacked me, in the alleyway before I could even manage to get to the parking lot. My own mother tried to kill me. I feel the bile rise into my throat every time I think of this.

But that's when he came along, Caleb Brennan, a dhampir, and one hell of a sexy one, I might add. He walked from the darkness, into the light and tried to fight off my mother. He was about to kill her when I had stopped him. I know it's stupid right? My own mother tried to kill me, yeah I get it, but she was my mother, is my mother. I couldn't bear to watch this gorgeous dhampir kill my mother, regardless of what she had become. She managed to escape and disappeared into the night without a goodbye.

A few days later I heard rumors of a spirit user at the royal court who brought back a strigoi, salvaging their souls and returning them to their former glory, and that's when I had my decision made. I needed to get to the royal court, and I needed that spirit user, or any spirit user who was willing to help me return my mother to the person she once was. Without her I had no one. She was the last thing I had in this world, and I will do anything to get her back.

Ofcourse, I didn't have the option to do it myself because I specialized in fire, just my luck. So I needed a spirit user to bring her back to me.

"Are you sure you're ready for this Essa?" asked Caleb, his hazel eyes examining my face closely. He ran his fingers through his short brown hair, turning his attention back unto the road in front of us.

I took in a deep breath trying to steady my racing heart. Shit, was he beautiful. Every angle of his face was beautifully sculpted by whichever God was in charge of creating this beauty of a man. Oh, did I mention the fact that I happened to fall for Caleb on our mission to the royal court, yeah big mistake. He had officially volunteered himself to be my guardian, yeah charming I know. What's not so charming is how often I wanted to rip his clothes off. I turned my head away before I could let him see the blood rushing into my cheeks.

"I didn't travel all this way from Louisiana for nothing. I need to find that spirit user. I need to save my mother."

We drove to the gates and stepped out of the car as the guards signaled for us to stop. The guard asked me what brought me to the royal court and before I could open my mouth to answer, he came along.

The man who had deserted my mother and I years ago, was standing before me, two young moroi men on either side of him.

"Well, well who is this lovely young lady?"

He looked the same as ever, dark hair and a dark goatee, deep brown eyes and a smile that looked like he was ready to raise hell at any second.

"That's funny you should ask, because you should know who I am." I raised an eyebrow and studied his face as his thick brows furrowed in confusion.

"Surely I would remember such a beautiful face."

"I guess not because you didn't seem to remember my mother when you walked out on her."

His eyes flashed with anger, then in realization. "Yuliya", he breathed.

"Well here's the deal father, my mom has turned strigoi and a little birdie has told me that a spirit user was able to bring back a strigoi…and that's exactly what you're going to help me do. I know that you know of spirit users, and you are going to find one, and you are going to convince them to help me."

"Inessa…I never meant,"

I raised my delicate hand to silence him. I didn't want to hear what he had to say, apologies were long overdue and now was not the time for him to lay out his bullshit for me to hear. With every passing minute my mother was becoming more of a savage, more of a beast. I didn't have time to waste.

I bowed my head to the ground, trying to breathe the pain away that had been beating fiercely against my skull, as Caleb walked up from behind me, resting his hand gently against my back.

"You're going to help her, or so help me God, I will rip you to pieces." Caleb stepped forward, leveling his head to Ibrahim's, his stare cold but beautiful.

Ibrahim looked over Caleb's face intently, and then nodded his head. "Yes, yes I will help her. She is my daughter of course. Besides, I owe her that much." My father glanced at me before he returned his attention back to Caleb.

"You owe her more, but that discussion we will have another time." Caleb's beautifully sculpted jaw clenched as his nostrils flared.

That was the moment where my whole life began, the moment where I realized, this was all but just the beginning.

**Let me know what you guys think. Thank you so much for taking your time to read this :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

I stood motionless, for how long, I can't tell you. I got lost in time, looking to the father I never had, the father that had been nothing but a make belief character in my sad story. We stood in silence, eyeing eachother. He reached for my hand, he grazed my fingers just as I pulled my hand behind my back. He was moving way too fast for my liking, he was going to have to do a lot better than holding my hand to fix the damage that had been done.

"Essa, you're not looking so good." Caleb's hazel eyes searched my face anxiously.

"It's...I haven't...I haven't fed in days. I'm just feeling a little faint, that's all." I swayed slightly as Caleb's strong arm wrapped around my waist, lifting my lethargic body against his. I breathed in his scent as he lifted me up into his arms. Only Caleb could smell as good as he did. He had a distinct scent that no one could replicate.

Caleb turned to Abe. "You have feeders in the court? She needs to feed."

Abe rested his hand against my shoulder, my eyes fluttered as the world began to dip and swirl around me.

"Yes, ofourse. Christian, show Caleb where the feeders are, your cousin needs to feed right away. And when you get there, if one is not available, make one available." The young moroi nodded his head and waved Caleb over to follow him. My father and the other young moroi boy stayed behind, low in whispers.

I rested my head against Caleb's shoulder as he carried me off to the feeders. My hero. It was my fault, I should have told him I needed to feed, but i hadn't wanted to waste anytime looking for a feeder, I needed to get to the royal court as soon as I could. Somewhere in the world my mother was feeding on humans until there was nothing left, devouring them to the last drop. I swallowed hard trying to push back the nausea threatening to escape.

"So you're Essa's cousin?" Caleb broke the silence piercing the air around us.

Christian shot Caleb a look from the side of his pale face. "Yes, my Aunt Tasha told me once about her mother Yuliya. She had ran away when she was young, she didn't want to be caught up in the politics of the royal court, the royal families. She wanted a simpler life. No one knew where she had gone off too or that she had a daughter for that matter. Rose is going to be surprised about this, that's for sure."

"Who's Rose?" I managed to say, my throat burning like fire, the desire of my thirst straining my speech.

Christian glanced at me before returning his blue eyes to the feeding quarters. "Your half-sister."

This was the exact moment I learned I had a sister, the exact moment where something inside of me flourished, hope, longing. My life had consisted of just my mother and I, but now, in the same day I had been given a father and a half-sister.

The warmth suddenly hit me as we left the bite of the winter air and entered the feeding quarters. Christian managed to find a free feeder within seconds. Caleb let me down, and my feet touched the ground as the frail, young woman waiting with a weak smile across her face. She had already been fed on today, I could tell by the weightless look of her stare.

"Essa, feed." Caleb gently pressed his hand into my back, urging my weak body forward. What I wouldn't give to be built like a dhampir. My moroi body was tall and lean, but dhampirs had the strength of humans, built bodies that were able to endure a lot more than a moroi.

I stepped forward and smiled to the young woman. Should I greet her, ask her her name? The woman nodded, and I assumed that was her cue. I leaned down to the woman and pressed my fangs into her neck. Her warm blood burst into my mouth, the metallic taste of the greatest liquid, I swallowed quickly. After a few short moments, I pulled back and the young girl rested her blonde head back, her eyes closing as she embraced the drug inducing coma of my saliva.

"Christian, who are these people."

I turned to find a young dhampir standing protectively in front of a beautiful blonde moroi.

"Uh, shit, this is awkward." Christian's blue eyes frantically glanced from the young dhampir to me, back to her.

"Make it un-awkward and answer the question Ozera." The young dhampir's brown eyes slit into curiosity as she looked me over.

"Rose..." The young blonde moroi took a step forward offering her hand to me. I took it and gently greeted her. I knew this moroi's face now, it was Queen Vasilisa Dragomir.

"Um...Hi." Don't judge me. That was the best I could do. I never met a Queen before, let alone ever greeted one. My hello was about the only thing my mind could muster at the time, sue me. She smiled a kind smile, showing her fangs in the process.

"What brings you to the royal court?" The Queen looked from me to Caleb, her eyes taking us in.

"I came here to find a spirit user to save my mother."

The Queen and her guardian shared a confused look before she turned back to me.

Christian cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. It couldn't be anymore evident that he was incredibly uncomfortable. "Rose, this is Abe's daughter, Inessa Ozera."

Rose's eyes shot wide as she eyed him in disbelief. "Excuse me?"

"Did you pass gas?" A beautiful young moroi boy walked out from behind the dividing screen. His light brown hair in a perfect disarray, his emerald green eyes twinkling in amusement.

"Adrian, screw off, now is not the time." Rose stepped towards me, her head tilted up to face me. Her lip twitched before she took in a breath to speak. "So...what you're like, my half sister?"

"That's what I've gathered from it so far." I looked down to her then to the others standing in front of me.

"You're a little too close for my liking." Caleb pulled me back, shielding my body with his.

Rose rolled her brown eyes before she turned to face Christian. "Where's Abe."

"Last time I saw him, he was at the gates."

Rose whipped around pushing through her friends, storming off to find Abe. I could understand her frustration. After all, I was in the same position as her.

"Well, well...Rose has a sister. How charming, more hell raisers to add to the world. Like one wasn't enough. Adrian Ivashkov." He reached out his hand and lifted mine to his warm lips. My hand tingled at the touch of his full lips. I could feel the blood rushing into my cheeks.

Caleb cleared his throat and Adrian's emerald eyes glanced over to him as he gently let go of my hand. My heart fluttered nervously in my chest. I looked to the suspicious eyes watching me, hoping no one could hear the powerful beats of my heart. I was sure they could see it through my shirt.

"Well, I would assume you are going to be staying here while you try to find out a way to save your mother." The Queen smiled to me, stepping forward as she rested her delicate, pale hand against my shoulder.

"If that's okay. I mean we could always find a place not too far from here to crash." I looked from her to Caleb. I was really hoping she would say yes. I was too exhausted to set back out to find a place to stay.

"Yes, of course. I can show you to a room. Did you two want to stay together...or..." She glanced from me to Caleb and my eyes shot wide. I knew exactly what she had been assuming.

"Yes, I don't want to leave her alone." Caleb pulled me closer to his strong body, eyeing Adrian suspiciously as Adrian's bright green eyes took me in. My God, it was like he had never seen a moroi girl before.

"This should be interesting." Christian smiled mischievously.

"Christan!" The Queen shot him a silencing glare. "Tomorrow we can discuss this a little further. I need to talk to your father first."

"Don't call him that please." The term still did not sit well with me at all. It was an extremely intimate word to be used for someone who barely existed in my life.

"I need a drink." Adrian turned, lowering his head as he left the quarters.

Something told me that I was going to need all the sleep I could get. If the Queen refused to help me I would make her see reason. I don't care if Rose ripped me apart, I would make Vasilisa understand that I needed my mother back, I needed my life back. I didn't care how I was going to do it, but I was going to make sure that I would leave this court with a spirit user in tow, come hell or high water, it was going to happen.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Queen Vasilisa walked Caleb and I to our rooms. The room was enormous. A large four poster bed sat against the right wall, an arched window against the back, golden curtains flowing beautifully to the red carpeted floors. A long the left side of the room was a fireplace, a fire blazing brightly, igniting the room in a warm, golden glow. A red velvet couch lay across from the fireplace, pillows and several blankets folded neatly at the edge. Along the bed were our bags that we had left in our car.

I thanked the Queen and she left, sizing Caleb and I with a small smirk across her beautiful face. I had money on the fact that she thought Caleb and I were together, if that had only been the truth. Caleb will do exactly what he had done for the past several weeks, sleep on the couch, keeping an unbearable amount of distance between us.

I looked to Caleb from the corner of my eyes. The light of the fire danced across his sharp jawline. He pressed his lips together before turning to me. "So, should you take a shower first, or should I?" His hazel eyes appeared golden in the firelight. What I really wanted to tell him was that I would prefer for us to go in together, but we all know I'll never have the balls to actually say that aloud.

"You can go first. I'm going to unpack my things while you shower."

He nodded slowly. He ran his hand through his hair, his eyes looking to me through his dark lashes. "We're going to find her Essa, we'll save her."

I smiled to him before he turned away to go to the bathroom, muscles of his back showing through his shirt. Oh God. I bit my lip, resisting the urge to jump him from behind.

I turned and walked over to the bed covered in red, silk sheets. I opened my backpack and began unpacking my things. I wasn't sure how long Caleb and I would be staying here, but I could not fathom the thought of having to constantly search my bag for things. If you knew me you would understand that the level of my patience is almost non-existent.

"Shower's free. There's some clean towels next to the shower."

I turned around to find Caleb rubbing his hair dry with a towel. His chest bare, pajama bottoms covering the bottom half of his body. My eyes followed the lines of the muscles along his abdomen. I swallowed hard trying to keep my face unmoved. Truly, it should be a crime for him to strut himself like this in front of me, I was most likely to go into cardiac arrest any second now.

"Thanks." I breathed.

I rushed passed him and walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I took in deep breaths before I walked over to the round mirror hung just over the marble sink. I looked at the girl standing in front of me, I barely recognized her face. My brown, almond shaped eyes were swollen due to lack of sleep. Purple circles curved under my eyes, creating an ungodly looking shadow. Ugh, I looked like I had been casted for a zombie movie. I pressed my full lips together in frustration. Before I could criticize my appearance any further, I undressed and hopped into the shower.

When I scrubbed my aching body raw, I dried off and brushed my teeth. I slipped on my pajama shorts and a blue t-shirt. I walked out of the bathroom to find Caleb already sprawled out along the couch, the firelight shadowing along the lines of his bare chest. I walked over to the bed, pulling down the covers.

"Goodnight Essa."

"Goodnight Caleb." I smiled to myself as I slipped under the covers, watching the smile spread across Caleb's face as he closed his eyes. His dark lashes cast shadows along his cheek bones. I lay down and closed my eyes, falling into a troubled darkness.

I awoke with a start, screaming, my skin drenched in my panicked sweat. Before I knew it Caleb was next to me, his hands cupping my face.

"Essa, Essa...what is it?" His hazel eyes slid over my face, searching for my reaction.

"I...I...My mom...I...", I swallowed hard trying to ease the wave of nausea crashing over me. I took in a deep breath raising my shaking hand to push my bangs out of my eyes. Caleb cupped my face, inclining it to face his.

I've had the same dream during our entire trip. Caleb and I finally find my mother, but only when we try to save her with the silver stake infused with spirit, she dies, her blood erupting from her mouth, oozing down along her white and pale face, the blood gurgling in her throat as she whispers my name one last time. No matter how often the nightmares came, Caleb was always so patient with me.

"Essa, it's okay. Everything is okay." He pressed my face into his chest, patting my hair gently. I closed my eyes taking deep breaths, inhaling the comforting scent that was Caleb.

"Lay with me, please." I looked up to him, his hazel eyes bore into mine. He nodded slowly and laid down along the bed, bringing my head to his chest. He brushed his hand against my hair as I listened to the steady beat of his heart.

"Close your eyes, you're safe with me Essa."

I closed my eyes. How right he was. The minute I knew he was near, any troubling thought, any haunting dream melted into the darkness it ascended from. He was my anchor, my sanity. If only he weren't so bent on being my protector, maybe, just maybe, something could manifest between us. But he was too dedicated, it would never happen. I pushed the heartbreaking hope aside and relaxed myself against him. Before I knew it I entered the darkness again, only to find my light, Caleb.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

I awoke against his chest rising and falling steadily. I pushed myself up from his body, rubbing my eyes. It was morning, well night, for the human world. I brushed the hair out of my eyes and slowly got out of bed. I tip toed to the bathroom, careful to not wake Caleb, he was such a light sleeper, but that was normal for most dhampirs. They were too focused on protecting their moroi to sleep soundlessly.

I closed the bathroom door silently and washed my face and brushed my teeth. The dark circles that had haunted my eyes last night had lightened, my skin a little more pink. I fixed my hair as quickly as I could and dressed myself in dark jeans and an off-the-shoulder black sweater. When i emerged from the bathroom, Caleb was already pulling a shirt over his head.

"Goodmorning sunshine." He smiled to me, his white teeth shining in the firelight.

"Hey." I smiled to him.

A knock came to the door. I walked over to it, opening it up to find that young moroi boy Christian. He was dressed casually and his hair a little disheveled. He gave me a small smile before he leaned his head to the side, checking in on Caleb. "Sorry, I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"You guys really need to stop that, we're just friends."

"I'm sure. Does he know that?" He nodded his head towards Caleb, but he was too busy slipping on his shoes to hear Christian's low voice.

"Is this what you came to do was taunt me? I don't find it all that amusing, really." I arched an eyebrow as he smiled a large smile, his blue eyes twinkling.

"You are Rose's sister."

I rolled my eyes. "On with it Christian."

"Lissa wants to see you."

"Who?"

"Vasilisa...the royal highness." He smirked and rested his hand against the door frame.

"You mean your personal royal _hiney_." I turned to find Caleb winking to Christian, a large grin plastered against his face.

"Brilliant observation Watson. You're hilarious, really. Such a gem you have there Inessa." He rolled his eyes and turned to walk down the hallway. I turned to Caleb and smiled as he shrugged off Christian's annoyance.

We followed Christian through the endless hallways, finally coming to a room glowing in bright firelight. Green, velvet couches laid across the room, Vasilisa was seated on one, Rose standing beside her. I turned to find Abe, Adrian and another young blonde girl in the room. A tall guardian with dark hair stood at the set of doors on the other side of the room. I looked up to Caleb and he pressed his lips together in displeasure. He wasn't much of a social butterfly. Groups of people made him uneasy.

Vasilisa stood up, her blonde hair shining brilliantly near the blazing fire. She gestured for me to have a seat on the couch in front of hers. I did as she asked. I folded my hands on my lap, trying my best not to fidget.

"So what happened to your mother?" She eyed me carefully.

"My mother was a spirit user. She had been...She kind of lost it lately, spirit finally broke her. She wanted to escape it more than anything, I think that's why she turned strigoi, willingly. She couldn't handle her own madness anymore." I looked down to my hands. My mother had finally given up, falling victim to the demons inside of her, holding her emotions hostage, poisoning her mind.

Vasilisa looked up to Rose, Rose turned her face away.

"So how could we help?" Vasilisa moved her delicate frame to the edge of her seat, reaching for my hand.

"I need a spirit user. I know that there a spirit users here, and I know that one of them was able to turn back a strigoi to a dhampir. I need that spirit user, I need that person to save my mother." I could feel the tears threatening to break free from my eyes. I swallowed hard feeling the urge to cry burn at the back of my throat.

Vasilisa watched me carefully. She looked over to Caleb who was too busy eyeing down Adrian to notice much of anything else. Everyone's eyes were on me, burning into my skin, judging me carefully.

"I'll help you."

I shot my head up, examining Vasilisa's face. What? Was she serious?

"Hell no! Are you kidding me Lissa, you don't even know the girl! You are not going on a man-hunt to find some strigoi woman, no." Rose grabbed Vasilisa by her arm, shaking her slightly, trying to reason with her.

"Rose, she's your sister."

"For all we know she could be lying."

"What? Why the hell would I travel all the way here to lie to you? That seems a little far fetched, don't you think?" I could feel the rage seizing my heart, turning my blood hot, rivers of lava traveling just beneath my skin.

"Rose, watch how you talk to your sister." Abe stepped forward, giving her a warning look.

"Stop calling her that. I barely know the girl, just because we share the same father doesn't mean anything." She gripped the roots of her brown hair and bit down on her lip.

"Whether you say yes or no, I'm leaving here with a spirit user. I couldn't care less what you say Rose." I clenched my jaw, trying to take deep breaths. I stood up from the couch.

Rose marched up to me, tilting her head upward to meet mine. "Is that a threat Inessa? I know you're not threatening to kidnap a spirit user, let alone Lissa."

"I will do whatever it takes to save my mother, she's all I have. I'll die doing it if I have to."

Rose grit her teeth, growling the words, "Over my dead body."

"Rose, you traveled Russia in search of Dmitri, you did whatever it took to save him, don't you think Inessa deserves the same?" Rose turned to face Vasilisa, Vasilia's eyes pleading with her friend to understand.

"I won't take no for an answer." I looked to Rose, tilting my head stubbornly.

"The hell you won't, I'll rip you to pieces before you put Lissa in danger."

That was it, that was enough to send my mind into a hurricane of nothing but red. It took over, my skin blazing hot. I let out a scream as the fire burst around me. I grit my teeth as I growled angrily. If they wouldn't help me find my mother, oh I would make them, Queen or not, someone was going to help me.

"Inessa!" A voice shouted from far away.

The world melted away from my vision as the fires took over. I could feel the flames scalding my skin, but I didn't care. My anger had finally reached it's cap.

"Inessa, stop it!"

I pushed the voice away from my mind, allowing the flames of my demons to embrace me. That's when I heard a scream, the hands cupping my face, the emerald colors coming into my vision. And then, the world came back.

Adrian panted in front of me, his bright green eyes bore into mine. His arms sizzling and blistering. My chest rose and fell quickly, my strength disintegrating. His hands were warm, gentle, but sturdy. He brushed his thumb against my cheek as the anger dissipated.

"How?...How did you...",

"I'm a spirit user. If Lissa won't help you, I will." He brushed his finger against my skin again.

I pulled back away from the comfort of his hands, looking to the shocked faces before me.

"I have never...ever...seen someone use fire like that." Vasilisa stepped forward. She eyed me carefully. "First things first, we're going to have Christian train you to control that fire. Your emotions take over you too easily, you have to learn to tame it. Secondly, Rose is going to train you to learn some basic battle moves, for precautionary measures."

"I can train her, that's not necessary." Caleb stepped next to me, his hand gently pressing against my back.

Rose looked from Vasilisa then to me. "God, this shit cannot get any worse." She let out a breath as she flopped onto the couch, raising her hand to rub her forehead.

"So...so that means you'll help me?" I eyed Vasilisa curiously. No, this was too good to be true. The entire time I had it in my mind that I would probably have to kidnap a spirit user, taking them hostage, kicking and screaming.

"I mean, as long as you agree to stay here after we rescue your mother. We could use that power here." Vasilisa smiled and reached for my hand.

I nodded slowly. "You've got a deal Queen Vee."

She smiled a brilliant smile, her fangs glistening. Rose groaned, Abe clapped his hands together in triumph, Caleb shook my shoulder gently, and Adrian...Adrian watched me carefully, his eyes reaching deep into me. I felt the shiver travel up my spine just before his concentrated stare turned into a brilliant smile.

Hope embraced my heart. I will find my mother, I will rescue her, I will have the family that I have always longed for. Could this finally be the happily ever after that I had dreamed for? I crossed my fingers behind my back. Dear God, I hoped so.


	5. Chapter 5

I stood before Rose and Lissa, praying for our session to be over. I was tired, frustrated and hungry to say the least. I sighed before I flopped onto Lissa's bed. "Please, please can we stop?" I pressed my eyes together, praying for my headache to finally fade away, but no such luck. The bitch was here to stay.

We had spent the past four hours trying to control my fire. No success. We tried a hundred times and the flames took over my control. I nearly burned Rose's face off. Lissa's coffee table near her fireplace was no more than a pile of ashes and I'm pretty sure I nearly burned my own hair off. Don't ask me how that's possible, quite evidently, due to the singed tips of my hair, it was indeed possible.

It had been weeks since I arrived at the royal court. I spent day in and day out trying to control my specialty with the assistance of Lissa, Rose and Christian. Adrian would show up once and a while, but Christian had deemed his alcoholic companion, Captain Morgan, a 'fire hazard', so he had been officially banned from my training until he could manage to get through a single day without carrying his party buddy.

"No, we need to do this again. Get up Essa."

The pillow hit me against my face. I groaned as I lifted my fatigued body off of the bed and looked to Rose. She was starting to wear on my nerves. Yes, it was true, her and I had actually grown pretty close since my first day, but we're sisters, which means there have been plenty of times where I have wanted to punch her in the throat, and as Rose had explained before, the feeling was mutual.

"Come on Essa, you were almost there, you almost had it." Lissa smiled. Ah, Lissa the eternal optimist.

"Lissa, I was no where near close to having it. There is no use, I am a lost cause." I pressed the heel of my palm to my eyes, pushing back the tears. I swallowed hard. _I will not cry, I will not cry._

"No she's right. It was getting no where today." Christian gripped the roots of his golden hair and closed his eyes as he let out a breath. "You were doing so well, what happened?"

_I was doing so well? Christian has definitely been breaking into Adrian's secret stash._

I shrugged. I knew very well why. I have been stressing a little more these past couple of days. Abe had left weeks ago to track my mother. First there were reports of her in Texas, then New Orleans, then New York City. The last time he called he was heading to St. Louis, and that was almost a week ago. Abe, my father, had never gone more than a few days without calling me, and it was really starting to peek my anxiety to a whole new level.

"I've just been distracted, that's all." My shoulders slumped. I seriously needed some blood. I had gone already three days without it, but I had no patience to stand in line when there was so much more important things I could be using my time for.

"Okay, well let's call it a day. Lissa and I need to go to the feeders and Rose needs to eat something before she throws someone out a window." Christian reached out to Lissa and she gingerly took his hand with her slender fingers.

Before they left she turned to me and smiled sympathetically. "Get some rest Essa. It will help."

I nodded and they closed the door behind them, leaving me and Rose alone.

"Do you want to save your mom or not?"

I turned quickly to Rose. "What kind of stupid question is that?" I could feel my fingertips begin to tingle, my veins begin to burn.

Rose raised her hands to surrender. "Calm down Hades. Listen, you need to concentrate. If you want enough power to distract your mother, a strigoi, enough to give Adrian time to stake her, you have to concentrate more."

I rubbed my forehead. I stood up from the bed and walked over to the window. Below Dmitri and Caleb were training together, their breaths white puffs of smoke in the chilly air.

"I know. It's just Dad-Abe hasn't called in days and I'm beginning to worry. What if something happened?" I pressed my forehead against the cold glass hoping to ease my headache. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath.

I felt Rose's hand on my shoulder before I heard her voice. "I'm sure everything is fine. Abe promised he would call the minute he found her."

How could I ever repay Abe? I almost loathed him when I had first gotten here and now I owed everything to him. No matter how small the tip, he would pursue every single rumor of my mother's whereabouts. It didn't even matter if he didn't really believe it, he did it anyway. I had to commend him on his dedication.

"Maybe I am overreacting. I think I just need to feed, or sleep...maybe both." I turned to face Rose. Her brown eyes watched me carefully. She glanced down to the boys sparring off in the courtyard then back to me.

"I'm going to go and grab Dmitri, they've been training for long enough. I'm starting to feel like he's dating Caleb and not me." She raised an eyebrow and I smiled. I had to give her something for the effort of trying to ease the tension in the moment.

"I'll come and check on you later." She rubbed my shoulder then left me alone in Lissa's room.

I turned around and looked back down to the courtyard. I missed Caleb so much. We had spent so much time apart lately. The most I would see him is during meals or right before bed. Within the past week or so he would train with Dmitri well into the night, or day as the human world viewed it, and I would be fast asleep by the time he would get back to our room.

I missed the days when we were traveling on our way to get here and we had spent every waking moment together, but I guess things change, and we were trying to save my mother after all. I had to give up on him sooner or later. He was dead-set on being my guardian and too dedicated on being the best one he could be. Would it kill him to have a little less pride?

I left Lissa's room and headed back to my own. I turned the corner just in time to see Adrian leaning against my door.

"It's about time. I've been here forever." He threw his hands into the air exasperated.

I laughed as I opened my bedroom door and walked in, Adrian following me closely. "And how long has that been exactly?"

"Fifteen minutes." His emerald eyes sparkled against the light of the fireplace.

I rolled my eyes and got my things ready for my shower. I turned to find Adrian making circular motions on my crimson sheets with his hand. He arched and eyebrow, a crooked smile painted against his face.

"What do you want Ivashkov?" I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I'm so bored." He groaned. "I hate being left out. Christian is like the Hitler of training. What has Captain Morgan ever done to him?" He sat up and slumped his shoulders.

I shook my head. Leave it to Adrian to make a joke of everything. "Well I'm going to take a shower and then head to the feeders."

"Need company?" Adrian winked.

"To the feeders? Sure. But for the shower...you can escort yourself out." I shot a wink back to him and he stood up from the bed. He walked over to me, inches away from my face.

His vibrant eyes locked with mine in a moment. I sly smile spread across his face. Someone cleared their throat at the door.

We turned in unison. Caleb was leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed against his chest. Sweat trickled down his face and neck. My God, he could roll in mud and I would still find him attractive. His raised an eyebrow and his hazel eyes took us in. I stepped away from Adrian.

"Am I interrupting something?" He pushed himself off of the doorway and walked in.

"Not at all. Essa and I were just talking about having a shower together, but since you have come to rudely interfere with my steaming plans, it seems to be no longer an option." Adrian clapped Caleb on the shoulder and I watched as Caleb's muscles tensed under Adrian's touch. Adrian shot a smile to me before he left the room, soundlessly closing the door behind him.

"What was that about? You weren't actually going to take a shower with that moron were you?"

"Heard that." Said Adrian's muffled voice from behind the door. I pulled off one of my black flats and threw it to the door.

"Find something to do Adrian." I rolled my eyes.

"Miss you already love bunny." Came his voice again.

I raised my hand to my forehead. I could feel the heat rising into my cheeks as Caleb looked from the door to me. I shook my head for him not to worry. "He's just kidding."

"Doesn't sound like it."

I studied Caleb carefully. His jaw was clenched, his hazel eyes gone cold.

"Caleb, he's joking. Adrian doesn't take anything seriously."

Caleb relaxed a little. He reached out his hand and used his thumb to trace the skin just beneath my eyes. I swallowed hard trying not to lean my face into the palm of his hand.

"You haven't fed again. What did I tell you this morning? You need to feed Essa."

"I know, I know. Right after my shower, I'll go."

Before I knew it Caleb had lifted my off of the floor and threw me over his shoulder. "No we're going now."

I slammed my fist into his back in a failed attempt for him to release me. Yeah, like that was going to work. This man was made up of the muscle that any Greek God would be made of. He snickered as he opened the door and walked out into the hallway.

I propped my elbow onto his shoulder and placed my chin on my hand exasperated. "I could walk you know, my legs _do_ work."

"Nope, too much of a chance that you would try to make a break for it. You're going to feed and you're going to do it now."

We made it out onto the courtyard and the cold air hit me all at once. My teeth began to chatter. The cold air was prickling against my skin. "You could have at least let me grab a jacket."

"Grit your teeth and bear it. Maybe next time you'll listen to me." I could hear his smug smile in his voice. I rolled my eyes. My stubborn Prince Charming.

"Essa! Essa!"

I turned my head to see Rose and Dmitri running towards us. Caleb slid my down onto the ground and I held my arms around myself waiting for Rose to reach me.

"What's going on? What is it?"

Rose gulped down air as quickly as she could. Dmitri laid his hands against his knee as he tried to gasp for air.

I snapped my fingers in front of Rose's face. "Hello?!"

"Abe...Abe...he called...your mom...he found her."

My heart dropped into my stomach. It felt more like it fell out of my ass to be perfectly honest.

"And?!"

"We need to find Adrian...we have to get going."

"Well where is she?"

"She's in Colorado...they found her in Colorado."

I looked to Caleb. He nodded once before he disappeared back into the building. I knew exactly where he was going. He was going to get Adrian.

Dmitri turned to Rose. "I'm going to go and quickly pack a few things for us. I'll be back in no time." He kissed her quickly and she turned back to me.

"This is it."

"This is it." I echoed. She took hold of my hand and squeezed it once.

Within an hour we had already said our goodbyes to Lissa and Christian. Caleb returned with Adrian and over night bags for the both of us. Lissa had arranged for a car for us and we just finished packing our things into the trunk when my phone began to ring.

"Dad?...Abe?"

"Inessa?"

"Yeah?"

"There were so many of them. My guardians tried to fight them off, but they were too many. They took her. She's gone."

"Who took her?!"

"The Strigoi. It seems your mother is at the head of a Strigoi clan."

"Strigoi clan? Why in the world would my mother be leading a Strigoi clan?!"

"I'm not sure. We're looking into it. But for right now, she's gone. I'm sorry Inessa."

I swore out loud and threw my phone against the cold ground. I gripped the roots of my hair angrily as I stomped my foot against my phone. Caleb grabbed me by my shoulders, pinning me into place.

"What happened?" He leveled his head to mine, his eyes searing into me.

"They came for her, the strigoi. She's gone." A tear broke away from my eyes.

Caleb pressed me against him as I shuddered. So close, we were so close and my chance had just slipped through my fingers like that.

"He'll find her again. Don't worry. He will." Caleb pressed his lips against my head and I closed my eyes, trying to block out the curious looks everyone was giving me.

If I had to rip this world to pieces to search under every damn rock on this earth to find my mother, so be it.


	6. Chapter 6

We were in my room this time. I felt the warmth of my fire tingle along my skin. I opened my eyes and took in the room around me. I controlled my emotions, held them in place. I tunneled my vision and concentration onto the chair that Christian had placed a good twenty feet from me. I lifted my hand and before I knew it the chair was burning brightly with my golden flames. I smiled. I closed my eyes and simmered my fire. When i opened my eyes again I found Rose, Lissa and Christian standing beside the now wet chair, all with smiles.

"It's about freaking time!" Rose threw the silver bucket to the floor and threw her hands into the air as she laughed.

Lissa walked over to me and wrapped me in a encouraging embrace. "I knew you could do it. Maybe yesterday is what you needed."

I took in a breath as my cheek pressed against her golden hair. "Maybe." That was a lie. I could do without yesterday. I couldn't believe Abe had her, she was there, and then she was gone. Now the question was...why did the strigoi want her? And what or who was this clan of strigoi? If this was an army of strigoi, we were in deep trouble, not just my mother, but all royal moroi were in deep, deep trouble.

I pulled back and smiled. Christian shot me a wink. "That's what I'm talking about Essa." It was weird to think that Rose was my sister and then Christian, my cousin. Two people I was related to, but two people I had grown to like.

"Now we just keep training until we get another call from Abe." Rose nodded her head as if trying to convince herself there would be a call today. Hopefully.

I bit down on my lip. I highly doubted it. The way he sounded on the phone had left me to believe that he was becoming less and less optimistic about the hunt for my mother. And this strigoi clan, but the wavering in his voice, I knew he was worrying about it. Needless to say, I was too.

A knock came to the door. Caleb popped his head in. "Is it safe to come in?" He smirked.

"Yes, it is." I rolled my eyes and smiled.

Rose, Lissa and Christian said they would see us later on. The sun was rising and I had to admit I was more than tired. Regardless if I had fed this morning (only because Caleb kidnapped me and forced me into it after numerous objections) I still felt exhausted and drained.

I flopped onto the bed thoroughly warn down and sighed.

Caleb walked over to the bed and laid down next to me. I turned my head to face his. He had laid on his stomach, propped up on his elbows and his hands folded. He had buzzed his hair down while we were here, but he forgot to tend to his face. Brown stubble covered his sharp jaw line.

"How are you feeling?"

I turned to face him, my head rested on my hand. "I don't know. I'm okay, I guess." I closed my eyes for a moment and took a breath. When I opened them I found Caleb's hazel eyes following the lines of my face, intense and concentrated.

"You look better than yesterday, now that you finally fed." His eyes twinkled in amusement. I shoved his shoulder playfully.

"If you want me to tell you, you were right, you're not going to hear it."

I tucked my hair behind my ear. Trying my best to avoid his gaze. When he was this close, it was hard to try and keep myself from reaching over and pressing my hand against his cheek, pressing my lips against his.

"I'm going to take a shower."

I nodded. Caleb stood up and pulled off his shirt. He walked over to the bathroom and closed the door after him.

I flopped onto the bed, taking deep breaths to slow my thrumming heart. _Breathe girl, breathe._

A knock came to the door. I walked over to open it and found Adrian leaning against the wall. "Well hello stranger."

"Hi Adrian." I rolled my eyes.

"You roll your eyes often in my presence. Anymore often and they will fall out of your head." He smiled a crooked smile.

"Ha, ha. What's up?"

He shrugged, amusement contorting his features. "Going for a swim. Thought maybe you could join me."

I heard the shower water come to a halt. I looked Adrian over, no evidence of a towel or bathing suit. "And how are you going to do that without a bathing suit."

"Sweet, sweet Inessa. I don't need a bathing suit." He pressed his hand gently against my face and winked.

I pulled away laughing. "If you get a bathing suit, and ONLY if you get one, will I come swimming." I didn't know why I had agreed, but it felt nice to be taken in consideration. I saw the way Adrian looked to me, his eyes looking over my body any time we were near. Adrian was not necessarily my type, but attention never hurt anyone.

Adrian straightened. "Hi Caleb."

Caleb was rubbing his head with a towel. He already had jeans on the body half of his body. But the glimpse of the muscle along his abdomen was enough to hitch my breathing. Caleb walked over to the dresser and began slipping on a hooded sweater.

"Where are you going?" It sounded a little harsher than I had intended.

"Going to hang out with a friend."

I studied him carefully. A friend? Who was this friend?

"And who would that be?" I crossed my arms over my chest. By the look on his face. I wasn't going to be pleased with his answer.

"I girl I met at the coffee shop today, Adriana."

Adriana? Lovely, the blood whore dhampir who worked at the nail salon and spa. He had to be kidding. I knew of her. She was beautiful to say the least. She had curves that when on for days, golden hair and honey eyes. She had a beautiful smile and full lips. She was made up of the human proportions that I had always longed for. I felt the jealousy burn heavy in the pit of my stomach. If I had breathed out in this moment, I would have most likely breathed fire.

Caleb pushed pass us before he turned around. His jaw was clenching. "Have fun you two." He looked to Adrian, then to me. Those judging eyes. He began to turn away and then turned back abruptly. "Oh, Essa?"

I inclined my head to look at him.

"Don't wait up."

I grinded my teeth together and forced a smile. I nodded. Before I knew it he had disappeared behind the corner.

Adrian turned to me. "That was awkward."

"Honestly, Adrian I don't feel like going swimming anymore. I just want to be left alone." I went to close the door before he stopped it, wedging his foot between the doorway.

"Listen, I get it." His emerald eyes looked to mine and I could see the sincerity lying behind his smile. I heard that he had been helplessly in love with Rose. She had shattered his heart when he had found out about Dmitri. He did get it, more than I wanted to comprehend.

"I know you do." I could feel the tears burning at the back of my throat.

"If you ever want to talk...you know where to find me." He cupped his hand against my face and slid his thumb across my cheek. I nodded and he walked away. I watched him leave for a few moments, then closed the door.

I took a shower to try and pass the time. When I had gotten out, I looked to the alarm clock to see it had been about an hour. I tried reading for a while. Two more hours passed and Caleb still was not back. After a while, being the girl that I am, I pulled the covers down and curled up into a ball. I couldn't help but think of the things Caleb was doing with that girl. Everyone knew guys only talked to Adriana for one reason, and one reason only.

I bit down on my lip as the tears flooded from my eyes. Before I knew it, my sadness had slipped me into darkness.


	7. Chapter 7

"Get up! Essa, get the hell up!"

I felt the bed shake beneath me. I rubbed my eyes trying to clear my slumbered haze. As my vision came into focus I saw Christian rummaging through my dresser.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?"

He pulled clothes out of my dresser, shoving them into my backpack. "There was an attack at Lissa's school today. A full army of strigoi."

I stood up from the bed in alarm. Panic seized every muscle, every nerve. I began to shake. Lissa's school was close to Royal Court. A little too close. "When the hell did that happen?"

I rushed over to the dresser and helped him, although I was not sure why I had to pack my things.

"Like I said today, this morning. I think they had gone there for Lissa. Thankfully, Lissa couldn't go to class today. She had a meeting with some of the Royal families here."

I stood paralyzed for a moment. Could there be any chance that my mother was among those strigoi? And if so...what did they want with Lissa?

"Move Essa, move!"

I ran to the bathroom and gathered my things. I rushed back out into the bedroom and shoved them into my backpack. "Where are we going?" I asked breathless.

"There is a cabin eight hours away. We're going there to hide Lissa. Rose and Dmitri have already left with her. Rose asked me to come back and get you." Christian looked around the room, blue eyes curious but frantic. "Where is Caleb?"

I bit my lip. "I don't know. He went out with Adriana last night. He didn't come back. Who cares? Let's go."

Christian studied my face for a moment. "Cuz, I'm so sorry." His blue eyes pitied me. It only made me angrier.

"Come on, let's go. I know you want to make it to Lissa as quickly as you can." I grabbed my backpack and threw it over my shoulder. We rushed out into the hall, bumping into the crowd of bodies frantically darting back and forth. People were panicking, and taking flight. Groups of people stood together in the main foyer, their luggage's in tow.

As we made our way through the crowd I saw Adrian waiting for us, his luggage bag next to him. "Hurry the hell up!" Adrian ran his hand through his brown hair. I could almost taste the panic in the air. Just as we made our way to him Caleb burst through the front door, Adriana at his side. I bit my lip in attempt to not scream.

Caleb rose to his toes, screaming my name through the crowd. He and Adriana had finally made their way to us. Adriana was a mess, her cheeks flushed. For someone who looked disheveled, she was beautiful. Damnit.

"Essa, oh my God Essa, thank God you're okay." Caleb reached for me.

Adrian pulled me from his reach and pulled me behind his body, shielding me from Caleb. It was admirable of Adrian to feel so protective of me, but at the same time stupid, he would never stand a chance against the Hercules built frame of Caleb.

I tried to keep my eyes away from Caleb's gaze. His hazel eyes were burning through Adrian into me, questioning.

"You left her alone all night? What the hell is wrong with you Caleb, you're her guardian! If the strigoi had been here, she could have been dead!"

"Essa, please. I'm so sorry."

I glanced over to Caleb, his hazel eyes pleading. I could see the tears filling up along his lashline. I wasn't sure it was the disappointment wearing his ego down. He had felt like he had failed at the one thing he swore to, guarding me, protecting me. It didn't matter to me anymore. He had made his choice, his personal "needs" were much more important to him evidently than my safety.

"Let's go." Christian led the way and Adrian pulled me after him.

Adrian turned his face to me, the side of his face pink in the sunset. "You don't need that bullshit from him. I may not be made of steel like him, but I would never just leave you like that."

I bit my lip trying to hold down my tears. I felt like the earth just beneath my feet was caving in. Caleb had just strolled into Royal Court with Adriana at his side with no shame. It was official. He didn't care about me the way I did for him. How could I have been so stupid? Fawning over someone like that? I pressed my hand to my forehead. I swear I could feel the embarrassment burning into my skin. He made a fool of me.

"Essa! Wait!"

I turned for a moment. Caleb was running towards us. Christian was packing up the black SUV. Adrian blew out a breath of frustration.

"Essa, where are you going?"

Adrian stood and met Caleb face on. "Well if you had been with Essa like you're supposed to be, you would know that a Strigoi attack happened at Lissa's college. They're looking for her and we had to evacuate her. Rose and Dmitri took her this morning. The Strigoi killed hundreds of students. Rose wanted us to grab Essa, at least some of us remembered her."

"You were just going to leave me here?"

I turned my head away. Screw him. He could spend his days with Adriana. Oh, how much I wanted to tear my nails into her face. I hated the way the jealousy burned through me.

"Inessa, hello? You were just going to leave me?"

"Isn't that what you did to me?" I turned to face him. His face went slack, his cheeks began to redden. That's what I thought, asshole. I turned away and headed off to the car. Before I hopped into the SUV, I caught Adrian shooting a glare to Caleb.

"Do it again, and I will kill you Dhampir." Adrian turned away and walked over to the car. Caleb's shoulders slumped. I caught his eyes and turned away to get into the SUV.

Caleb slid into the seat next to me and reached over for my hand. I pulled away and rested my head against the cold glass of the tinted window. Before I knew it we were off. It took a few seconds to reach the gates. We stopped for a moment and Christian cursed out loud. I pushed myself into the center of the seat to look out the windshield. And that's when I saw it. People of the Royal court being dragged out of their cars by Strigoi.


	8. Chapter 8

I couldn't believe it. The Strigoi had already gotten to Royal Court. I screamed as a Strigoi leapt onto the windshield, his red eyes of hunger burning in fury. He gripped each side of the windshield, holding on as Christian reversed.

Caleb grabbed me and pulled me into him. This was it. I was going to die here, without ever saving my mother, without ever seeing Abe or Rose again. I felt like the ending to my life would be nothing more than just a series of things that I would never get to accomplish. A large void of darkness filled with all the things I wish I could have done one last time.

I buried my head into the crook of Caleb's neck. I inhaled his scent, trying to calm myself. I heard glass shatter. I turned my head just in time to find the Strigoi thrust his fist into the glass, and he had Adrian by the neck.

Christian slammed on the brakes then thrust the gear into drive. The Strigoi lost his hold on Adrian, but managed to keep his grip of the car.

Caleb cupped my face into his hands. His hazel eyes sparkled in urgency. "I'll be back. No matter what, do not leave Christian and Adrian, do you understand?"

My body became numb, the only thing I could manage was to swallow hard and nod my head slowly. He jumped out of the car. Adrian pushed his way to the back seat, locking the door behind Caleb. I screamed for him, the tears falling down my cold skin. Adrian held me back. I slammed my hand against the window.

I watched in disbelief as he pulled the stake from his back pocket, he was calculating his moves, I could see it in his eyes. I knew the Strigoi was much stronger than Caleb, but Caleb in this moment exactly could have had me fooled. He watched the Strigoi for a moment, like a lion would watch his prey before he took to attack.

The Strigoi leapt from the windshield, landing with grace against the frozen ground. Caleb advanced on him, but the Strigoi was too strong. He gripped Caleb's arm, the one that held the stake, trying to force it out of his hand as he crushed his wrist. Caleb resisted, punching him in the jaw with his other hand. It hadn't bothered the Strigoi all that much, but it definitely took him by surprise.

Caleb quickly fell to the ground, swiping his foot under the Strigoi. The Strigoi fell. Caleb pressed his foot into the Strigoi's neck, but it was no use. The Strigoi gripped his ankle and twisted it. Caleb growled in pain.

That was enough, I couldn't take this any longer. I pushed Adrian off of me, unlocked the door and bolted out of the car.

Caleb looked to me frantically. "Essa! No! No! Get back in the car!"

Before Caleb could get a hold of him the Strigoi was on me in the blink of an eye. I gathered my bearings, I took a deep breath as he reached me. _You can do this Inessa._

"This should be fun. I could always use a mistress if you're interested?" His large shoulders moved with every step took, this gargantuan of a man.

"Essa!" Caleb leapt onto the Strigoi's back. He pulled his stake high into the air then brought it down into the Strigoi's chest. My heart fell once I realized he had missed. The Strigoi punched Caleb in his side, screaming out in fury. He gripped Caleb by his neck and threw him over his shoulder, onto the ground.

Caleb held his stake in his hand, he lifted himself off of the ground quickly. I rushed up behind him, shielding my his body with mine.

I closed my eyes for a moment, then let my demons free. I lifted my hands in the air, the golden balls of flame igniting in the palms of my hands. The Strigoi's red eyes took in my hands, frantic one moment, smirking the next.

"Try me bitch." He lowered his head, looking to me through his lashes. He took a step towards me.

I demanded my fire to grow, and it did exactly that. I focused my power on him and within seconds my fire reached him, engulfing him in flames. I buried my feet into the ground, I grit my teeth as I pushed my fire to him, encasing him in a dome of inferno.

Caleb thundered over to the Strigoi and slammed his stake into the Strigoi's chest, a move to kill. I could hear the blistering of Caleb's skin. He pulled his arm away, his arm angrily red and blistered. The Strigoi fell to his knees then onto his back. I allowed my flames to finish him off, leaving him to nothing but a heap of ashes. Caleb wiped the sweat from his forehead.

I let go of my power. I could feel the sweat prickling against the back of my neck. I swallowed hard. It didn't drain me as much as I thought it would have. I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding in. Caleb reached me in a second and pushed me towards the car.

In the distance we saw a trail of bodies the lead from the gates to the Royal Court. Blood covered the grass. Puffs of white smoke lifted into the air as people lay dying, taking their last breaths.

"We have to go in and help. The Strigoi are already in Royal Court." I tried to push past Caleb, but it was no use. He overpowered me, pushing my into Adrian. Adrian pulled me into the car, Christian swearing as he shot into the driver's seat. Before Caleb could even get into the car, Christian slammed his foot on the accelerator.

"Christian? Where are you going?" Adrian pulled himself into the passenger's seat, staring out the broken windshield.

"Christ-" Before Caleb could even finish, Christian plowed the SUV through a gate at the other side of court. My body slammed into the back of Adrian's seat and Caleb grabbed me, pulling me against him.

I wanted to shout at Christian, but he did the right thing. The main gate was blocked and barricaded by all the abandoned cars left by their dying owners. I pressed my head into my hands, pushing my palms into my eyes as the tears spilled out. It was uncontrollable. I wouldn't try and hold it back.

Christian's phone rang. He answered it quickly. "We're on our way...An army of Strigoi attacked Royal Court...No, I'm not kidding Rose...She's fine, nearly killed herself though fighting off a Strigoi..." I heard Rose scream into the phone, I flinched. That couldn't have been good.

"Yes, she's okay...I'll make sure to tell her...There was nothing we could do, if we had stayed, we'd all be dead. The Guardians at the gate managed to kill enough. The Guardians within the building will handle the rest. Alright. Bye."

Christian hung up the phone and tilted his head to look at me through the rear view mirror. "Rose says she's gonna kick your ass when we get there."

I laid back against my seat and inclined my head to the roof of the car. I let out a breath. "That's the least of my worries." I rubbed my hand with my forehead.

Adrian turned around and regarded me for a moment. "You could've gotten yourself killed you know."

"Yeah I know." I closed my eyes for a moment.

Caleb pulled my face into my hands, his eyes bore into mine. "Don't you ever, ever do that again. You talk to me, don't ever catch me by surprise like that ever again."

I nodded slowly and he pulled me into him, pressing my head against his chest. I swallowed back my tears. Now was not the time to cry. We had to get to the others, and we had to figure out why the Strigoi had attacked. For right now, my mom would have to wait. Thousands of people were going to die if we didn't get to the bottom of this. As the weight of this moment fell onto my shoulders, I realized, these people were now my friends, my family, and I would anything to protect them, help them, even if it meant letting my own mother go.


	9. Chapter 9

It had nearly been five hours since we had left Royal Court. Needless to say, my ass had gone numb and my legs were growing restless. I bounced my leg up and down in a way to distract myself. I bit down on my nails as I looked to the stretch of darkened highway. There were no lights along this back road highway, just our headlights guiding us along the way, illuminating the wooded area around us.

Within the last hour we had been at eachother's throats. I guess that's what happens when a group of people are confined to a small space for several hours. Caleb had complained he was starving, Adrian complained he needed cigarettes, I complained about my backside being numb and Christian complained that we all needed to shut our mouths or he would do it for us. That was twenty minutes ago and patience was wearing thin in this SUV.

I rested my head against the headrest. I closed my eyes for a moment, hoping to get some rest. No such success. Every time I closed my eyes, that Strigoi was haunting me, painting the back of my eyelids to only see his face. I opened my eyes again and turned my attention back to the blackness zooming past us.

Christian lifted his arm from the steering wheel, looking to the dashboard. "Looks like I have to make a stop. We're running low on gas."

Adrian pressed his hands together as if he had been praying. "Thank you Jesus!"

Christian turned to him. "Since when have you become religious?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Since I've been praying for the past half hour for us to finally stop. I'm fresh out of cigarettes and had to rely on a higher power to make the Hitler behind the wheel finally listen to us."

Christian rolled his eyes.

"You two are giving me a headache." Caleb rubbed his forehead.

After another twenty minutes the headlights glowed against the gas station tanks. Behind it was a small convenient store. Christian pulled up to a tank and turned off the car, hopping out. Adrian and Caleb rushed into the store.

I got out of the car and slowly stretched my limbs. I walked around the car and leaned against it as Christian filled the tank. The smell of gasoline burned into my nostrils.

"You're not going in to get anything?" Christian nodded his head towards the convenient store.

I shook my head. "I'm good for now." I bit my lip and kicked the gravel beneath my feet.

"Listen, I know it's none of my business, but Caleb is an idiot if he doesn't see how amazing you are. And to go for a girl like Adriana...that just makes him a complete ass." He shrugged.

I nodded my head. "Thanks Caleb."

"I know we have only known eachother for weeks now, but regardless, you're my cousin. I want you to be safe. If he ever does that again, tell me, I'll light his ass on fire." He smirked.

I smiled. "Thanks for the offer, but I think I can manage that on my own."

"Well how about we do it together?"

"Sounds like a plan." I winked.

Christian locked the handle to the pump and stood against the car with his hands crossed over his chest, his eyebrows coming together.

"Worrying about Lissa?"

He shook his head. "I trust your sister and Dmitri. They would never let anything bad happen to her."

I turned to face Christian, my shoulder leaning against the car. I tucked my swaying hair behind my ear. I looked into his blue eyes. "I know at first you guys were a little apprehensive about me, but I promise you, I would never let anything bad happen to any of you...not if I can help it."

Christian smiled, his blue eyes shimmering in the light of the moonlight. "Yeah, likewise."

"Thanks."

"Hey, that's what family is for, right?"

"Amen." I burrowed my hands into my winter coat's pockets, the steam of my breath filling the air around my face. "I'm going to check if they have a bathroom. Do you want me to get you anything while I'm in there?"

"Unless they now bottle blood, no."

I laughed. "Wouldn't that be a treat." I turned away and walked into the convenient store, the winter air biting the skin of my cheeks.

Adrian was at the counter buying a large carton of cigarettes. He turned around as the bell to the door opening chimed. "We leaving?"

"No, just checking for the bathroom." I looked to the cashier. He was a young teenage boy, ruddy hair and his cheeks were burning red. I smiled.

He turned to Adrian. "Is that your girlfriend?"

"Wife...don't get any ideas kid." The boy quickly turned away embarrassed and Adrian turned around, his emerald eyes twinkling with amusement.

I smiled as I shook my head and followed the bathroom signs.

After I was done, I washed my hands and took a quick glimpse at myself. Purple circles were coloring the skin beneath my eyes. My lips were pursed together as if I was experiencing physical pain. I splashed water onto my face and quickly dried it off. I didn't bother to take another glance at myself before I left. I looked horrific.

I reached for the handle of the door as I heard Caleb's voice fill the hallway. I opened it slightly, trying my best to keep the movement silent. I inclined my head to catch what he was saying.

"Yeah, yeah I had fun too...Yeah, I'm okay...What's going on at Court?...Good, that's good...Yeah, um...I don't know, I'll try to call you if I can...Listen, what happened between us Adriana, it...I made a mistake...I...It's never going to happen again. I'm someone's guardian now. I can't be frolicking around with some girl...Yes, some girl Adriana...I'm sorry, I just don't feel that way for you. Last night was about me needing a distraction, and I'm sorry, but I'm just trying to be honest...No, no. Essa and I are just friends, less than that, I'm her guardian. I don't feel that way about her."

That was about all I could stand. He had slept with her and he considered me less than a friend. I felt my heart fall deep into the pit of my stomach. So this is what heartbreak felt like, rivers of ice traveling through your veins, freezing your heart until you could no longer feel it beating.

I stormed out of the bathroom.

"Listen, I have to go." I heard Caleb say before he caught up with me. "I didn't realize you were in the bathroom."

"Yeah, well, I was."

I bolted out of the store and towards the SUV. Adrian was leaning against the car, smoking. Christian was lecturing him about what a fire hazard that was. Typical of the moroi who specialized in fire to be constantly going on about fire hazards.

Adrian lifted his head to look at me, his emerald eyes growing wide. "Everything okay?" He looked my face over curiously.

"Yeah, can I sit up at the front with Christian? I've had about enough of sitting in the back." I pulled open the door as he nodded. I slammed the door behind me, biting my lip. If Caleb just wanted to be my guardian...that's exactly how I was going to treat him.

Christian lifted himself into the seat next to me. "You alright, you look pretty pissed off."

I turned to him and put on the best smile I could manage. "Yeah. Just tired."

He examined my face closely. He nodded his head and started the car.

Caleb got into the SUV. I could feel his eyes burning into me, but I didn't dare turn to look at him, as much as my body burned with the urgency.

I turned my attention out the window and watched as we left the gas station behind. We returned back to the highway, the darkness swallowing our SUV whole, along with my heart.


	10. Chapter 10

We finally reached the cabin. After two hours along the highway Christian made a turn up a dirt road, within the heavy wooded forest. We drove for another hour and reached a large log cabin surrounded by trees.

I saw one of the curtains pull back for a second before it fell back against the window. Lissa rushed out onto the porch. She raced over to the car and met Christian on the driver's side. Christian turned off the car and hopped out, wrapping her in an embrace and then kissing her a little too passionately for public viewing.

I got out of the car and walked to the trunk. Caleb was already pulling the bags out. I took mine from the ground and turned to the cabin, Adrian followed me closely. He stopped onto the porch and lit a cigarette.

Rose and Dmitri were standing on the porch, Rose's brown eyes burning with fury. Lovely, just what I needed.

I raised my hand as I walked into the warm cabin. "Don't even start. I'm exhausted, stressed and in desperate need of blood."

Rose followed me into the house and pulled me around to face her. "Don't you ever pull that shit again, do you hear me?"

I clenched my jaw and nodded. She looked me over. "There are some blood bags in the fridge, take one before bed."

"Thanks."

I turned to look around the room. Two brown leather couches sat in front of the large stone fireplace, a fire burning brightly. The ceiling was high and arched, wooden beams running in perfect lines. Animal heads were staring at me from around the entire room. They were posted all along the shining wood paneled walls. Their glossy black eyes were following me with every step I took.

"You'll get used to it." Lissa said from behind me. Her and Christian disappeared up the stairs and behind a wooden door.

Adrian walked into the cabin and headed straight for the kitchen. He returned with a bottle of whisky and flopped onto one of the couches as he took a swig. "Ah, this is the life."

"Abe called. Everything has been controlled at court. The guardians were able to stake the last of them. They didn't make it far into the building." Dmitri said as he walked into the cabin, the fire illuminated his brown hair. Dmitri helped Caleb with the rest of the bags and shut the door behind them.

"Yeah, I know. I gathered that much from Caleb's call with Adriana."

Caleb whipped his head to face me, the blood rushing into his cheeks.

Rose looked to me, then to Caleb. "Well there's an extra room upstairs that you two can share."

I nodded my head. "See you guys tomorrow." I pushed passed Rose and walked up the stairs, my tired muscles aching with every motion. I turned around the banister and walked to the extra bedroom, Caleb following me.

The bedroom was pretty cozy. A decent sized bed sat against the right wall, wedged between two wooded nightstands. Each nightstand had a lamp propped on top, creating a golden glow inside the room. There were two windows evenly spaced along the back wall. Outside the sun was rising and coloring the rippling water of the lake in the distance hues of pink and orange.

I turned to find a bathroom to the left of the room. It was a decent size. A shower, a sink and a toilet. I brought my backpack with me as I walked into the bathroom. I quickly changed and brushed my teeth. I left the bathroom to find Caleb sitting on the edge of the bed, taking off his shoes.

"Um, Caleb. I think it's best if we don't sleep in the same room anymore." I lowered my backpack onto the floor, watching his face closely,

Confusion contorted his features. His eyebrows furrowed in. "Why not? We've been rooming together for two, three months now."

"I know, but you're my _guardian._ We should probably keep it at a more professional level."

He looked to me in disbelief. This was breaking my heart, but he thought we were less than friends, so there was no reason for him to become so angry, so distraught.

"Are you kidding me?" He stood up quickly, his shoes in his hands. "What the hell is going on?"

"Nothing, I just think it's for the best. Besides, if I plan on having a guy in my room one day I can't exactly have you there now can I?" I folded my arms across my chest.

Caleb looked to me as though I had slapped him across his face. "Are you planning on having a guy in this room tonight?"

I knew who he was talking about, Adrian. I shook my head. "I'm just saying for the future Caleb. You can't think things are going to stay the way they are forever."

Caleb threw his hands against his sides. "Come on Essa. Just one more night, what does it matter? If you want me to get another room, then when we get back to Court, I'll stay in my own room to give you...privacy." He had closed his eyes as the word left his lips. He opened them back up, his hazel eyes pleading.

"Caleb-"

"Inessa, come on. I don't want to sleep next to Adrian. He snores so loud when he's plastered." He rolled his eyes.

"Caleb-"

"Please Iness-"

"I just don't want you in here!" I shouted it before I could hold it back. I didn't want to look at him, I didn't want to speak to him. I just wanted him to leave me alone. Everytime I looked to him, I would hear his conversation with Adriana, and each time I heard it, it broke more pieces of my heart. I rubbed my forehead and looked to him from beneath my lashes, observing his reaction. I could feel the nausea waving over me.

I hate this. I didn't want to feel this way. But this was my own fault. I had built up this hope that maybe, just maybe, one day he would change his mind. One day he would fall for me. One day everything would be different. But I was a fool for ever trying to convince myself that he could possibly be anything but my guardian. He will most likely end up with a dhampir, if he ever wanted to settle down.

His hazel eyes glared at me. His jaw clenched. "Fine." He spat. He stormed out of the room. I flinched as he slammed the door behind him.

I could feel the tears building, the heat rising. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths. _In and out, in and out. _I repeated it to myself until the burning sensation against my skin ceased.

I needed blood. Blood would help me calm down. I tried to convince myself that. I left the room and headed down towards the kitchen. I pulled open the door to the stainless steel refrigerator and found the whole entire door stocked with bags of blood. _Someone came prepared. _

I reached for a bag and turned around to find Adrian sitting on the marble counter top, bottle in hand. He smiled to me.

"Still at it are we?" I arched an eyebrow.

He nodded his head as he took another swig. "Yup. Nothing better than a bottle of whisky at the end of a miserable day."

I could understand that. Today had been the scariest thing I had ever encountered, besides my mother trying to kill me back in Louisiana when she had first turned Strigoi.

I walked over to him and leaned against the island in the kitchen to face him. I broke open the seal to the blood bag and took a long sip. Adrian jumped from the counter and stood before me, inches away from my face.

My breathing stopped, my heart stood in place. I swallowed hard. He had never been this close before. It must have been the alcohol making him act this way, so direct. I could smell the scent of cigarette still lingering on his clothes.

He took his thumb and brushed it against my lip. I stood motionless, in utter shock, my blood pumping adrenaline through my veins. As he raised it into his mouth, I could see blood on his finger. He sucked on it for a moment, then winked to me before he began to walk out of the kitchen.

"Where's Caleb? I didn't see him in the living room." I needed to distract myself. The hitch in my breathing was concerning me.

Adrian turned around. "Went for a walk with a bottle of rum." He shrugged. "Guess he's not so perfect after all." His green eyes regarded me for a moment.

Adrian was acting so weird. It definitely wasn't the alcohol. I have seen this before. It was spirit. I couldn't push aside the feeling of empathy pressing hard against my heart. I walked over to him and grasped his hand. He looked up to me a little surprised.

"Don't let it get to you. You control spirit, not the other way around." I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head against his shoulder. I could feel him exhale. He pressed his hands against my back.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm losing my damn mind, like I'll wake up one day and be completely lost, like I had never existed." I could hear the wavering in his voice.

I pulled back from him, my hands pressed gently against his chest. "You will always be here Adrian." I kissed him against his cheek quickly.

"Thanks Essa." He smirked. "Maybe I should act crazy more often, you seem to like me more that way."

I smiled. "I like you in every way, not just the crazy side."

He looked to me intently. Maybe I shouldn't have said that. I didn't want to give him the wrong impression but at the same time I didn't understand why Rose hadn't chosen him. Adrian was funny, witty, kind and gentle at times. Yes, spirit was getting to him, but that part made me like him all the more, like the broken side of him made him more real. The slight imperfection made me realize that Adrian wasn't just a charming prince, he was a man, who needed someone to help him put the pieces of himself together. I wanted that for him, I wanted someone to make him happy, make him forget his madness.

"What's stirring in that head of yours?" He brushed my hair back behind my ears. I jerked at his touch, not because I didn't want him to touch me, but because he was being so tender. This was a side I was surprised to see, a side I had never really seen before.

I shook my head and bit my lip as I smiled. "You know Adrian...you're a really good guy. One day you're going to find the right girl, and you're going to be so happy. And I'll be so happy for you."

He watched me for a moment then nodded his head. "I hope so."

"Goodnight Adrian." I pecked him against the cheek one last time, then started to make my way from the kitchen.

As I entered the dining room, I heard Adrian say in a low voice, "Goodnight Inessa."

I smiled as I walked up the stairs and to the bedroom. I opened the door and turned on the light. I jumped back as I saw Caleb sitting on the bed, a bottle filled with golden liquid in his hand. He looked up to me, his eyes red, his cheeks bright pink. He was drunk.

"What's going on with you? Ever since the gas station you've been acting so cold with me."

"Caleb, you're drunk. I think you need to go down and get some sleep." I walked over to the bed and pulled the covers back. I slipped into the bed as he stood up. He walked over to my side and leaned down. His breath reeked of alcohol. I scrunched my nose.

"I saw you in the kitchen with Adrian."

My heart came to a halt. I kept myself collected. "And?" I turned my eyes to face him. He was starting to make me mad. I don't care if he was my guardian, I could speak to who I wanted, when I wanted to. He wasn't my father, I didn't need his permission. I didn't exactly give him crap when he left me all alone to sleep with the whore of Royal Court.

As the thoughts flooded my mind, my heart began to thunder against the wall of my chest. The heat in my body was rising, my chest rising and falling quickly.

"And? AND?! Adrian is a playboy Essa, you're going to get yourself hurt." He threw his hands out in anger, the rum swishing around in the bottle.

"Says the one who had a booty call with Adriana, the free serviced prostitute." I shot out from the bed and stood before him, my hands curled into fists at my side.

His hazel eyes shot wide. He brushed a hand against his buzzed hair. He pointed to me. "That's none of your business."

"None of my business?! Are you stupid, or just delusional? If my guardian leaves me in the middle of the night to roll in the sack with some slut, yeah it's my business, especially when hours later strigoi came to invade the court!" I slapped my hand against my chest. "So yeah, it's _my_ business if _my_ safety is jeopardized Caleb!"

"Essa, do you honestly think I would have left you if I knew there were strigoi coming? I would have never left if I had known!"

We were both shouting, the room was suffocating us with rage, anger, insanity.

"Guess what Caleb...you never know when strigoi are coming, you always have to be prepared. And you just left me. Maybe you're not ready to be a guardian, because evidently your penis is more important than my life."

"What the f-. That's what you think?!" He rolled his eyes. "Sorry that I'm not freaking perfect like Prince Ivashkov downstairs." He pressed his finger to his lip, mocking a look of pondering. "Oh that's right, he's not perfect! He's a drunk, and an ass at that!" He took a long sip of his rum. "Maybe you'll like me more if I spend my days drinking."

"Hey, maybe it will make you a better guardian, because based upon the past few days, you're not doing all too hot sober." I lowered my voice as I released the venomous words from my mouth. I felt like my breath must reek of poison. I glared at him, my eyes burning into his distraught face.

"Is that so? I'm not a good guardian?" He nodded his head once as he grimaced. "Alright, then find yourself a knew guardian."

I jerked. He...he wanted me to get a new guardian? He was just going to leave me, just like that?! I straightened my posture, blood boiling beneath my pale skin. "Fine! Screw you Caleb, get the hell out of my room!"

He threw the bottle of rum at the wall. The glass shattered and coated the wood paneled walls with golden liquid. "Fuck it, fine!"

The bedroom door opened. Rose rushed into the room, Dmitri behind her. Adrian pulled up after him, and then Lissa and Christian. Perfect, everyone had heard us. We weren't exactly quiet about it.

Rose pushed her finger into Caleb's chest angrily. "Don't you ever talk to my sister like that again, do you hear me!" Dmitri pulled her back. "You asshole!"

"Rose calm down, calm down." Dmitri pressed her against Lissa. Lissa and Christian just stood frozen in place, baffled.

Dmitri grabbed Caleb by his arm. "You and I are going for a nice walk, and you're going to sober up, before Rose kicks you in the testicles." He pushed a staggering Caleb out of the room.

After they left the room the tears began to flood into my eyes. Rose walked over to me, looking up to me with concern. "Are you okay?"

I nodded and turned my face away, ashamed. I didn't want them to see me cry, see the hurt of the words Caleb spoke. I raised my hand and waved it trying to tell her not to touch me. "I just want to be left alone, please." I bit my lip as I took deep breaths between the tears flooding my face. "Please, leave."

She tried to grab me again. "Essa..."

"Please...please." I turned to her. My eyes were burning with my tears. She winced and then nodded. Her, Lissa and Christian left the room. Adrian lingered at the door.

He looked to me, pain in his features. "If he ever does that to you again, I _will _kill him."

I nodded and wiped the tears from my face. He walked over to me and wrapped me in an embrace, he kissed me against my head. "Did you really want to be left alone?"

In that moment I realized, Adrian was using spirit to calm my nerves. I recognized the tingling sensation that took over my nerves, soothing them, easing them. My mother used to do this when I was a child and had nightmares. I pressed myself against him. I needed him here, the comfort of spirit made me feel the comfort of my mother, as if she had never left.

I pulled away from him and closed the door, locking it behind me. I walked over to him slowly. I slipped under the covers and Adrian walked around the bed and sat on the other side, his back faced to me. He pulled his shoes off and then his shirt, leaving just his jeans on. His back was made of very lean muscle, perfect pale skin.

He slipped under the covers and moved my body over to his. He wrapped his arms around me and I closed my eyes as he let spirit absolve my anger, my fears, my stress, my anxiety. Before I could mutter 'thank you', Adrian had soothed me into a spirit wrapped abyss where he and I walked along a beach, the waves tossing against our feet along the shore.


End file.
